My Dad was ANTIFA

[Bobstandard]

He joined the Army Air Corps when WWII broke out. He flew B17s and later B29s in the Paccific with missions over Iwo Jima and then Japan. He flew transports into and around Korea during that ‘police action’. He did the same during the Vietnam War. He retired as a colonel.

Though often gone for long periods, he was a great dad. He didn’t talk much about his war experiences. However, we were station at an Air Force base that had an active rod and gun club. After shooting skeet, my Dad and his shooter pals would sit around drinking beers and telling stories at the club’s bar. My brothers and I and the sons of other Dad’s would sit quietly drinking our Cokes at nearby tables listening, sometimes looking at each other with wide, shocked eyes from what we heard. About two thirds of the stories ended in laughter. The other third ended with all the men getting quiet and staring off into the distance.

My Dad was a an Eisenhower Republican who voted for Carter because he said that submarine guys were nuts, but you could always trust them to be cool and do the right thing. I believe he voted for the first Bush because of his service record. He called the second Bush “a dumb son of a bitch’, the worst thing my Dad could say about anyone.

He’s buried at the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl in Hawaii.

[captain queeg]

1. I had an uncle that served on B-24s. He was visiting me back when Bush Jr

Was president. I thought he was asleep on the couch when W came on TV. My uncle suddenly roused and yelled “that SOB is bankrupting the country?”

[AnotherMother4Peace]

8. My Dad was an antifascist WW2 tail gunner. He fought fascism.

Fuck fascists and fuck the nazis.

[Bobstandard]

38. Wherever we find them. N/t

[arlyellowdog]

2. My Dad was an Eisenhower Republican

He fought four years as a gunnery officer in the Pacific. His brother’s plane was shot down. He never owned a gun after the war and told his 5 sons he’d pay their way to Canada rather than allow them to go to Viet Nam. My Dad saw too much combat, too much death. He was Republican because he was conservative. His favorite was Chuck Percy. As for Republicans these days, he would be disgusted.

[onecaliberal]

3. My dad was ANTIFA as well. US Army WWII

[AZLD4Candidate]

4. Both my grandfathers were ANTIFA too. One was in the Navy in the Pacific

the other was in Italy. Both during WW2.

[KentuckyWoman]

5. I guess you could say the same for my Dad.

He was older when I came along. He was in Europe for WW1 and the Pacific for WW2 but her would never tell us what he did. I only know he was proud that "we" drove "that damn Hitler" to suicide and "put the rest of those bastards in jail" but he was regretful we "dropped the big one on the Japs".

[Rural_Progressive]

6. My dad flew P-47s in the European Theatre

He came back but left the best part of him over there. Didn't talk much about the war until he was in his 80s. I've got his Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross with clusters and a few years ago found all of his logs and records up for sale on eBay of all places. I've been told by those who collect such things that his information is some of the most comprehensive they've every seen from that war.

At any rate Dad was seriously ANTIFA, he was an outdoors man and cherished his freedom. He knew that one of the prices of being free was the necessity of allowing other people to feel and act in ways he might not appreciate or agree with. I miss him but am so glad he moved on before the era of the former guy. Towards the end he was pretty confused about a lot of things, pretty sure the orange blob would have been more than he could have handled.

[COL Mustard]

21. Those Of Us Who Served

Did so to protect the freedom that each of us enjoys today. That includes the freedom to live your life and do things that I might not understand, and probably wouldn’t like. But it’s your choice, so live your best free life!

Thanks to all the veterans who’ve deployed over and over again during the past 20 years. Also to all of those who went before. Special thanks to the families of all who didn’t return.

[Nanuke]

7. So was my dad...

WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Miss him so.

[GoodRaisin]

9. My Dad was also ANTIFA Army Air Corps

in the Pacific Islands war in WW2. He had bad PTSD from the experience and was in and out of VA hospitals with it throughout his 59 year life up until his death.

[PatrickforB]

10. My dad was ANTIFA. He fought in the battle to liberate the Philippines.

1942 to 1946.

[Dave in VA]

11. My Dad, too

Orphaned son of a WV coal mining family. Lied about his birthdate in order to join the US Navy in WWII.

Discharged a few months after the end of the war.

Always a proud Democrat.

Miss him very much.

[Mysterian]

12. My dad was antifa, as well

He was an Army MP officer. Initially assigned to transporting German fascist soldiers from ports on the East Coast to POW camp in Texas. Requested duty overseas and was assigned to support an infantry division and sent to France. He was in Czechoslovakia when the war ended.

[Mr.Bill]

13. ANTIFA dad here, too.

He was a top turret gunner and flight engineer who climbed into a B-24 50 times to fly over Europe and bomb the shit out of the Nazis. He passed away 32 years ago. He came home from the war without a scratch and on this day I will do what he used to do. Remember those who didn't come home and wonder what their lives never lived would have been like for them.

My dad got to marry his sweetheart, raise three kids, move to California in the 60s, buy houses, own a few Cadillacs, have a good union job, nice vacations and have a nice retirement. That's what those other men gave up.

[Texin]

14. My dad and my uncles on both sides of the family were ANTIFA too.

My dad fought in WWII as an Army Aircorps man. He flew in bombers over Germany and was based out of Britain. My dad fought the Reich - fascists that made other fascist forerunners look like choirboys. My uncles were based in the Pacific theater during the war and they fought another fascist emperor-led enemy.

The GQP don't even comprehend that they themselves are the FA in Antifa that Anti Fascists are fighting against. Simps.

[GB_RN]

15. My Grandfather Was Antifa

He in the US Army Air Corps (and later USAF) and piloted B-25s in the Mediterranean and Europe during WWII.

[BobTheSubgenius]

16. My father was the same way about his war stories.

The day we buried my mother, the few family members there were gathered at the house I grew up in, in a nice, safe neighbourhood in Vancouver. I heard more from him on that day, for whatever reason of his, than I had over the rest of my life, and the only stories some of the relatives had ever heard.

None of them were grisly, and most had a tinge of good humour. Even the story of being shot down close to the front, and not knowing which side of the line he was on. Hiding during the day, walking at night. 3 days, and he was a mile and a half from his crash site, having walked in a huge circle, because he had no maps and no compass.

[Evolve Dammit]

17. Same here. USCG sub-chaser, mine-sweeper, destroyer escort in two theaters. Hated W. For good reason

AWOL frat boy SOB war criminal. He would be incensed at what GOP has turned into. Anti-Democratic fascists. Took a hard right under W, who now tries to look like a moderate. Paint away war criminal.

[3catwoman3]

18. Shouldn't we ALL be...

...ANTIFA?

[I_UndergroundPanther]

48. This👆

[RussellCattle]

19. This thread makes me think again about George McGovern, a true war hero in the....

....great war against fascism. He flew a B-24 in 35 missions over Nazi occupied Europe during the war, including one where he landed a damaged airplane and saved his crew.

[BlueJac]

20. Same here,

He was in Pacific in WWII then in Korea!

[Dickster]

22. My uncle flew and Avenger Torpedo bomber in WWII

He never made it into combat. He entered service in 1943, out of the University of Minnesota where he was a Veterinary student. He belonged to a Naval Reserve unit while in school there, so wound up flying an Avenger, a torpedo bomber, the same plane George Bush flew. He became an instructor, teaching others to fly in California. He was on a converted flattop carrier headed for Japan when the war ended.
When he mustered out, my dad and grandpa went to St. Paul to pick him up from the train station. My dad, five years younger than his brother, was excited to have a brother who knew how to fly. His first question to his brother was, “Are you going to get a plane and take me up flying?” My uncle’s reply? “ I”ll never set foot in another plane as long as I live!” And he kept his word.
He had seen too much death teaching others to fly. They lost more men in training than they did in combat. I read somewhere that they averaged 40 plane crashes a day in training during the war. He told my dad that trying to land on a converted flattop was like trying to land on a postage stamp in the middle of the ocean. He had seen the guys he was training fly into the ends of carriers, skid off the ends of carriers, so much loss.
He never said a word to his kids about his service. I know more about it than his kids because my dad told about it. I’ve relayed what I know to my cousins, who have been grateful and amazed to hear the stories.

[dweller]

23. My dad and his 2 older brothers were ANTIFA

his brothers flew bombers in WWII , my dad was in the Pacific in the Navy on an LSM. .. both brothers are deceased, the oldest passed last Valentine’s Day
My dad is 97 now, hopes to see 100, he just may

✌🏻

[housecat]

24. Grandfather fought in WWI; Dad in WWII

an officer and medic in Germany. He had both American and German patients. I can't even imagine.

[usaf-vet]

25. My dad was a USN radioman who spent months in the Amazon jungle intercepting German U-Boat.....

.... communications. This was going on while we were chasing Rommel in North Africa.

The U-boats were in the South Atlantic. Sinking troop and supply vessels headed to supply our troops.

The radio intercepted messages were used to triangulate the UBoat locations and dispatch PBY Torpedo squadrons to sink the U-boats.

The technology was classified, and it wasn't until the early 1970s that it was declassified. At that time, he told us he was part of Naval Intelligence and took an oath to keep the program secret until it was declassified.

The technology was called Huff-Duff by the radiomen. High Definition Radio Directional Finding.

He was a disabled veteran, having caught some jungle disease that caused his feet to ulcerate bleed every summer in the warm weather. He was proud of his service in WW II, his dad's service in WW I, and mine during Vietnam.

My Dad and Mom are buried in the National Veterans Cemetery located on Otis AFB on Cape Cod.

[LymphocyteLover]

29. Salute

[yellowdogintexas]

26. My dad was ANTIFA

He was drafted at 19 and wound up in Germany. He never talked much about his experiences and most of what he did tell us was about some of the men he knew.

During the Battle of the Bulge he was in a communications team working through that awful snow to string wire . The soldiers began to fall from the extreme cold and hypothermia; they could not keep their socks dry and many (including my dad) had serious frostbite. Ultimately my dad as a corporal was the highest ranking soldier remaining. He got his team through their mission and received a Bronze Star.

He ended up in England to recover from pneumonia and the bad frostbite which almost cost him his feet.

Forever after he hated winter.

He died at 57 taking his own life; I am convinced there was PTSD which no one knew about. then

[LymphocyteLover]

28. Thanks for that

[secondwind]

27. My Dad also, a Merchant Marine during WW2.

Buried in National Cemetery in FL

[summer_in_TX]

49. So was my Dad in the Merchant Marines during WW2

He's still with us at age 94. My husband and I drove in and took him lunch today.

One brother lost his life at the Battle of the Bulge, I think.

His other brother served and came back home although he died a few years ago of pancreatic cancer.

All proudly Antifa.


Dad was also a proud socialist and union man although he owned his own printing company. Still a proud Bernie supporter and Democratic Socialist.

[NoMoreRepugs]

30. Thank you to those that served before us, with us and those that are

going to be the next generation to serve - each and every one whether they/we knew it WERE/ARE Antifa.

[sprinkleeninow]

31. My Dad was ANTIFA. WWII Navy. Phillipines.

His service ship received secondary fire. Shipmates died and injured. He thought his last day on earth.

Hard time recounting his experience to my mom. Tears welled up.

Reposed suddenly from aortic aneurysm in front of us one Sunday morning.

Memory Eternal, Daddy.

[dflprincess]

32. My dad was ANTIFA

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps the day after Pearl Harbor. He wound up in the Pacific, the rear gunner on a B25 (Mitchell).

[FailureToCommunicate]

33. My Dad was ANTIFA. My Mother was ANTIFA. Dad was Army chaplain, Mom a Red Cross helping

wounded Servicemen and women.

They would have been appalled at Trump's America.

Thank goodness they passed after the jubilation of Obama's election.

[LymphocyteLover]

34. All of us opposed to the modern GOP & who worked to defeat Trump in the last election are Antifa

[Lifelong Protester]

35. 2 of my uncles were Antifa

One was a seebee and was on Iwo Jima
He was awarded the Purple Heart and a bronze star the other uncle earned a Purple Heart. My dad and husband were too young for WWII but signed up for Korea when it came time.

[Ilsa]

36. My dad was Antifa!

USN, Pacific theater.

[CaptainTruth]

37. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story!

My dad was drafted into the Army out of high school, but he's legally blind in one eye so that prevented him from serving in a combat role. He ended up doing supply work to support our troops abroad.

My dad turns 100 in a little over a week, & he's doing pretty darn good for a 100 year old. I live several states away so I haven't seen him for over a year, thanks to COVID, so I'm really looking forward to being there for his birthday.

[yellowdogintexas]

39. My uncle was ANTIFA

He was in the 3rd Armour (Patton's Army) and was in the Anzio assault and later the Bulge. This was my mother's brother; he and my dad did not meet until my parents were dating.

In WWII he received 2 Purple Hearts. He was career Army, and served a tour in Viet Nam.

[George II]

40. When I was in the Navy they were jokingly referred to as "sub sailors"! Mostly because of their....

....appearance - being at sea for months at a time the requirements were relaxed w/respect to "neatness". We'd see a couple of guys in the distance and they'd say "there's a couple of sub sailors!"

But it was also in part because they were, as you say, nuts. But not in a bad way.

[wnylib]

41. My father and my uncle were WWII antifa.

Father in the Navy in the Pacific. Uncle in the army in Europe.

My uncle was fluent in German because his mother and both sets of his grandparents were German immigrants from before the first world war. So he had special assignments in Europe and got caught. Spent two years in a German POW camp and suffered from PTSD the rest of his life.

My father was an FDR Democrat. Respected Eisenhower's service and war leadership, but not his politics. My uncle was also a Democrat all his life.

They left me with a legacy of antifa that I am proud of.

[Fritz Walter]

42. Mine, too!

Along with all of my uncles, on both sides of the family (his brothers and brothers-in-law). And I noticed a similar behavior pattern when they'd talk amongst themselves. The laughter; and the distant stares. When any of us kids would approach, they'd stop talking. Even in mid-sentence. What they were saying was not for our ears.

It wasn't until 2007, while I was watching Ken Burns's series on PBS, The War. While watching one episode, it hit me like a ton of bricks: you had to be there. People who didn't share these experiences just can't understand what it was like. And it's almost impossible to describe or explain what these experiences did to them. Not quite PTSD, but still,...


After that series debuted on the local PBS station, I got a chance to meet Ken Burns, face-to-face. I told him how his series helped me understand or get a basic grasp on the wartime experiences of my family. And I thanked him from the bottom of my heart.

BTW, that entire series is available via streaming to members with PBS Passport access: https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-war/

Thank you, Bobstandard!

[UpInArms]

43. My Dad was Antifa

Served from 1942 ... until 1959 (or thereabouts) was a Captain in the Army ... one of my sisters was born in Austria ...

[FakeNoose]

44. Yes, mine too! Thank goodness for the AntiFa Allies

It's how we defeated the enemy in WWII



Thank you Greatest Generation, my Dad's era, for all your sacrifices.

[BComplex]

45. My dad was a POW in Germany during WWII. He was ANTIFA all the way 'til the day he died.

They nearly froze to death in the prison camp. Each soldier prisoner had one army blanket. He got a little frost bitten in places, but luckily he survived it. He had an emergency appendectomy while in the prison camp, and they didn't give him any anesthesia because they wanted to save it for their fellow German soldiers.

Fuck the republicans and all their nazi love.

[mitch96]

46. My Dad ANTIFA also.. USS Quincy pounding the interior of Normandy and Cherbourg in WW2..

Proud Union Democrat till he died.. Sadly he could not let go of his hate of the Germans. He was very upset when I married a girl of German decent. Hated that I wanted to buy a Volkswagen, then a Porsche, and then a BMW.. Now I can see his hate...
He lost his whole family in the Holocaust...
m

[TlalocW]

47. My dad was a hardcore democratic voter

He joined the Navy in June 1945 when he turned 18. He was honorably discharged less than a year later due to WWII ending. Because he served less than a year, he was drafted into the Army for Korea (Mom was NOT happy).

He was a union steel worker. Most of downtown Wichita, KS, has his hand in it. He hated Reagan with a passion. He would retire to his bedroom early to read the paper and fall asleep but would come out every now and then for a bowl of ice cream, and if Reagan were on TV, he would exclaim, "Lying Son-of-a-Bitch!" as he walked to the kitchen. He passed when I was in high school.

TlalocW

[bluboid]

50. my dad was ANTIFA too...

He was a purple heart marine who was wounded at Guadacanal in WWII & a lifelong liberal in a very conservative community. He taught my sister & I the Marine Corp hymn & other battle songs when we were little kids. He told us about the horrifying German/nazi organizing drives in the midwest where he grew up in the 1930's & 40's. He was antifa to the core of his being & even joined protests against the Vietnam war when I was in college, which was hard for him but to his credit, he understood the big picture of that conflict.
I am so proud of him. He was a remarkable man who's whole life was shaped by service to his country & the fight for democracy all around the world.

[July]

51. Mine, too.

P-47 pilot, Army Air Corps, Europe, WWII. Lifelong Democrat.

Never talked about the ugly matters, just about his love of flying and about humorous moments. My uncle told us that he had seen friends shot down.

[Duppers]

52. My dad was antifa, survived D-Day

To drive a captured jeep across France.

[flyingfysh]

53. My dad was Antifa, in the Army Air Force

He never left the continental US, but not for lack of trying. He kept requesting to go to Europe, flying fighter planes. They kept him in Arizona, training new pilots.

He finally got orders to go on bombing missions to Japan as an engineer on a B-29, but that was cancelled when Japan surrendered.

[The Jungle 1]

54. My Dad was also ANTIFA

82nd
Union carpenter who retired with a great pension and healthcare.
My Mother was a union teacher. They put braces on three children and sent four to college. My father, in his late 50s, helped me build my home. I was in my early 30 had a home and no mortgage.

[Liberal In Texas]

55. My dad was anti-fascist. 1st Looie in WW2. Wounded in France.

Effected him for the rest of his life which ended when he was 47.

[beemerphill]

56. Same Here

My Dad fought the Japanese Fascists in the Pacific Theatre. When he came home he got a Union job and supported the Democrats. When he retired he was a Union Rep and proud of it. He was a lifelong Democrat and proud of that too.